The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!

Friday, January 18, 2013

An unintended consequence of cyber-warfare?

Remember Stuxnet and Flame, the cyber warfare software packages that appear to have targeted Iran's nuclear program and other Middle Eastern nations? It seems their creators might have helped to create a backlash as well. The BBC reports:

Cyber-attacks on Iran are turning it into a "force to be reckoned with" America's top cyber-soldier has warned.

Since 2010, Iran has come under attack many times by malicious viruses written specifically to target key industrial installations in the country.

The repeated attacks have provoked Iran to improve its cyber-capabilities, said Gen William Shelton who oversees US cyber-operations.

. . .

He said the 2010 Stuxnet virus attack on Iran's Natanz uranium processing plant had generated a "reaction" by Iran that had led it to rapidly improve its defensive and offensive cyber-capabilities. Since then Iran has been hit again and again by viruses. In December 2012, the Stuxnet virus returned and hit companies in the southern Hormozgan region.

That improved capability had helped it protect itself against subsequent attacks on oil terminals and other manufacturing plants. Its capability might well be turned against Iran's enemies in the coming years, he said.

"They are going to be a force to be reckoned with," said Gen Shelton, "with the potential capabilities that they will develop over the years and the potential threat that will represent to the United States."

Yep. Iran's government and revolutionary 'establishment' may be as evil as any that have existed on the planet, and blindly misguided in their religious bigotry; but it's statistically impossible for all of them to be as stupid and narrow-minded as President Ahmedinejad. I've no doubt some of their more dedicated minds have been hard at work, trying to hoist those who attack Iran with their own cyber-petard. It's just a matter of time until they succeed.